World heritage in danger
Unesco has placed three World Heritage Sites on the endangered
sites list - the Walled City of Bakoo in Azerbaijan, the Comoé
National Park in Ivory Coast and the Kathmandu Valley in Nepal.
According to the World Heritage Commission, which met for the 27th
time last month in Paris, the site in Azerbaijan has suffered considerable
damage because of the earthquake in 2000. Uncontrolled expansion
of the city and dubious attempts at restoration have further endangered
the city. The Commission wants to see the Azerbaijan authorities
develop a policy for the protection of monuments.
Population increase in Nepal has meant that the royal heart of the
Kathmandu Valley has been overtaken by municipal construction. In
Ivory Coast poachers have caused considerable damage to the nature
preserve. In addition the earth has been depleted due to intensive
grazing. The current unrest in the country prevents the government
from adequately protecting the site. According to Unesco 35 important
sites are in jeopardy worldwide.
During the last meeting other sites were placed on the endangered
list: the Srebarne Nature Preserve in Bulgaria, Yellowstone Park
in the US and the Kotor region in Servia and Montenegro. According
to Unesco, the national governments in these countries have taken
effective measures to restrict harmful influences.
Twenty-four new locations have been added to the World Heritage
list. For the first time the list includes sites in Gambia, Mongolia,
Kazachstan and the Sudan. The list now includes 754 monuments and
sites: 149 nature preserves, 582 cultural monuments and 23 sites
with 'remarkable universal value'. With the addition of Gambia and
the Sudan, Africa still has only four 'culturally significant' areas.
Annemiek Leclaire
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